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Listen to Stories While Handling Holiday Tasks

November 29, 2025November 29, 2025Anna--The Adventurer Leave a comment

We all have the infamous to-do list. It includes packing for a holiday trip. There’s also cleaning before guests come over. And let’s not forget washing the dishes after Thanksgiving meals (and leftovers).

We all want to read more or learn something but chores inevitably come first, right? No longer!

We are prepping for the holiday cheer. We definitely don’t have the wish to spend extra on entertainment if we don’t need to, right? Here are a few short, sweet stories. They are (audio-stories) that are super nice to listen to while busting your hump to get things done. This way, you can enjoy a good story. Be entertained while tackling that inevitable mound of laundry or other tasks!

These stories can also be downloaded and enjoyed while on the plane, train, or automobile while traveling–Merry Christmas!

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The Archway Bridge-The Great Platte River Road–Kearney, Nebraska! How the West was traveresed

July 11, 2025September 23, 2025Anna--The Adventurer Leave a comment

Traversing the country in an SUV is a long trip. It is even more challenging when traveling alone with a goofy dog. Still, it is cheesecake compared to what the pioneers did to settle this country.Fueling up at easy to find gas station (thank you, GPS!) and packing snacks, finding food is a breeze–but for the settlers that came long before me, it wasn’t easy, safe or simple!

We who are, um, more advanced in years recall playing the game “The Oregon Trail.” It had limited graphics. The features went “ping” when a shot was missed at hunting. The game never highlighted the intense journey. It never truly reflected on the scary, long haul it took on body and soul. This was in the quest to cross the nation in search of space, freedom, and expansion.

The history at the Archway Bridge and museum shares the story of the pioneers. It reveals the truth behind their journey, reflecting in the sculptures and museum. There is much more to express, but it’s too much for here. I think you should visit it and see for yourself. I wouldn’t want to spoil a wonderful opportunity. The Buffalo is nice, and the covered wagon is stationary!

The Museum offers some wonderful postcards. It also has a mail depository. You can share the adventures with your friends and family! Another perk, a pressed penny machine (I call them squished pennies as they are elongated in a squished fashion with a cool design imprinted of the location!)

Want to learn more? Click Enduring Spirit of America

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Grandma’s Meat and Potatoes with Baked Veggies-Dinner in 80 minutes, No Fuss!

May 12, 2025September 16, 2025Anna--The Adventurer Leave a comment

Who doesn’t like an easy meal that is reminiscent of Sunday Supper at Grandma’s house?

My cousin brought me two semi-thick ribeye steaks this weekend,

I don’t own a grill. I am not a huge fan of skillet fried steak–so whats a girl to do? I grabbed a 9×13 glass baking dish and got to work.

Ingredients

2 ribeye steaks (or roast or whatever beef you got)

1 medium onion, chopped into big chunks

4 medium to large carrots, peeled and course cut into chunks

4 medium/large red potatoes, washed and quartered (no need to peel)

Seasoning to preference (I used salt pepper and Montreal steak seasoning)

1/3 cup of water.

Put the meat on the bottom of the baking dish, layer the veggies on top, sprinking the seasoning in between stuff, pour water into the dish.

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. pop in oven and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 70-80 minutes until meat is cooked and veggies are tender. I set the timer and just “forget about it” and go get other things done in the meantime.

Serves 4-6 depending on how hungry every one is!

Great Art and Handmade Knitting Items for Sale–each purchase benefits The Wild Life Sanctuary and Adventures!

August 25, 2024October 25, 2024Anna--The Adventurer 2 Comments

Listed below in the Gallery are just a few of the beautiful pieces for sale on my eBay, all kniited and painted by myself, Anna Potthoff. I am selling my art and knitted crafts (plus other odds and ends) on eBay to help support my adventures and 10% of each sale also goes to the Wild Life Sanctuary in Keensburg, Colorado!

I have a special trip to Scotland coming up in a few weeks and would love to have fun spending money while I am there–you get a great item to hang in your home, give as a gift for a friend or loved one or to simply treat yourself while it’s the gift that keeps on giving as it helps others in the process! Happy Shopping!

Happy Shopping–here’s the link to my whole eBay store!

https://www.ebay.com/usr/apotthoff

Guest Chef Kevin Harris and his Sous Chef, Kota, homemade Pizza

December 19, 2023December 31, 2023Anna--The Adventurer Leave a comment

My dear and beloved Bestest Friend, hailing from Northeast Colorado, is quite talented in the kitchen, with his trusty, cheese-tax collecting dog, Kota.

The dough recipe he used can be seen here, it’s so easy!

Kevin described the pizza making process as super easy, using the following ingredients:

Mozzerrella Cheese

The pizza dough (made from the recipe)

Marinara sauce, homemade or jarred he says is fine

Pepperoni sliced, prepackaged

Spread out the dough to the desired pizze size, lay it on the pizza stone or tray

smear the marinara sauce as the base

Sprinkle lightly or heavily the mozzarella cheese, to preference, give a sprinkle of the cheese as tax to the dog.

Top with Pepperoni (and/or other toppings)

Bake at 350 degrees Farhenheit for 30-40 minutes

Cut the pie into 4 or 8 slices and Enjoy!

Ballentine Cemetery, Central, South Carolina

June 15, 2023Anna--The Adventurer Leave a comment

A little little local adventure today to a historical cemetery tucked back into the woods; I typed in historical cemeteries to my maps app and selected nearby. Epic success! Well, I don’t know the history but the “newest” internment was in 1897.

Most of the grave markers are in disrepair and time has removed the engraving.

Johnson and Oelhafen Wedding- a love to celebrate

June 8, 2023June 15, 2023 Leave a comment

it is official! Rebecca and Stephen have tied the knot!
Myy lovely cousin Rebecca is married now to a wonderful man, named Stephen. The wedding today was outstanding and quite beautiful, as they said their vows, and committed their lives to each other.

The wedding took place in a Wells Lutheran Church in Wisconsin, and it was such a beautiful place. Stephan’s father, an ordained Lutheran minister, married the young couple in front of family and friends today.

it has been a wonderful celebration and reception today, filled with so much love, and so many well wishes, and of course, it was a fairytale for them to kick off their lives together.

after the wedding at the church, we all met up at the reception venue for dancing wonderful food and of course what would a wedding be without Dr. Hooks “Sylvia’s mother” being played and the whole family singing and dancing together to unify the whole event!
The groomsmen also gave the bridal couple the chair lifting tradition

The reception

Expanding homemade meals-homemade Thai with help

April 16, 2023Anna--The Adventurer 2 Comments

Not too many people enjoy eating the same dishes over and over and over again-especially me. So what is a girl to do? I sought out some recipes to help expand my cooking skills and meal variety. Eating out gets expensive quickly and adds to my waste line far too fast (I swim for overall benefits but also to help trim down and be more curvy!)

I purchased a jar of Thai sauce, claiming to be good for dipping and cooking and found a recipe that could use it.

Ingredients:

2 large chicken breasts, chopped and cooked in olive oil

1 medium sized onion, chunky chopped

2 dried red spicy peppers crushed up

1 small bag of frozen brocoli florets

2 Tablespoons of Thai Peanut sauace

1/4 cup slided almonds

salt and peppper

Cook the chicken in the oil, add all the other ingredients and let simmer for 20 minutes on medium low heat. Serve! Serves 3-4 people. So Yummy!

The First Day of Spring-Lent Day 27

March 20, 2023April 25, 2023Anna--The Adventurer Leave a comment

Spring has sprung! The calender states that today is the first day of spring but here in the Southeast, it has already been coming in heavy and strong, the trees are alreadying budding and leafing out and the pollen levels are so high already.

I helped a friend do some yard work today. Their dog, whom was “supervising” fell asleep on the job; Frisky the dog is also quite the comedian.

My friend and I went to a plant store to pick up some items and I couldn’t help but daydream of owning my own place one day and selecting an assortment of roots, bulbs, plants and other items that I would love to put into my very own yard.

I did plant some seeds in a pot at my own apartment about 10 days ago and they are already germinating and sprouting.

Dancing Snowmen and Christmas Trees, Original Oil Painting on Canvas, Framed, Support an Artist & Traveler

November 25, 2022November 17, 2022Anna--The Adventurer Leave a comment

Fa-la-la-la-la-de-dah! Christmas bells are ringing!

An original Christmas painting, oil on canvas, framed and matted (no glass) is available for purchase, ready to hang, just in time for bringing in the holidays and Christmas cheer! Listed at $65 (offers are welcome!) and will ship in time to be gifted or hung by the chimney with care.

Available here on my eBay!

Each and every purchase on my eBay helps to support me the “starving” artist, not only to create more art but to travel and learn and glean from all the wonderful things the world has to offer.